Methods of reducing extravasation of inflammatory cells

Abstract

A method for modifying access of cells to extravascular spaces and regions comprising administering to a patient an enzyme that cleaves chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans is provided. It has been found that administration of an enzyme that cleaves chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans to a patient disrupts extravasation of cells from the blood stream into tissue. The present invention provides methods of reducing penetration of cells associated with inflammation into tissue of a patient. Several methods are also provided for the regulation and suppression of inflammation comprising administering enzymes that digest chondroitin sulfates. Also provided are methods of treating and preventing inflammation associated with infection, injury and disease.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a divisional application of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 847,636, filed May 17, 2004, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 471,189, filed May 16, 2003, each of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present disclosure relates to methods of reducing penetration of inflammatory cells into tissue, in particular to methods of reducing extravasation of macrophage cells from blood vessels, methods of preventing, regulating and suppressing inflammatory response, and methods of treating inflammatory states.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]The inflammatory response evolved to protect organisms against injury and infection. Following an injury or infection, a complex cascade of events leads to the delivery of blood-borne leukocytes to sites of injury to kill potential pathogens and promote tissue repair. However, the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes the use of enzymes to treat inflammation and prevent the movement of cells associated with inflammation from blood vessels into tissue. The enzymes used can cleave chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, which are molecules involved in the inflammatory process. By doing so, the enzymes can modify the cells and prevent them from causing inflammation. The patent also describes a method for extracting cells associated with inflammation from a patient, modifying them with an enzyme, and then reintroducing them into the patient to treat inflammation. Overall, the patent provides a technical solution for treating inflammation and preventing its associated complications.

Problems solved by technology

However, the powerful inflammatory response has the capacity to cause damage to normal tissue, and dysregulation of the innate or acquired immune response is involved in different pathologies.

In many diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma, the inflammatory process is not appropriately regulated.

As a result, significant tissue dysfunction (leading to the generation of the symptoms that typify these diseases), and tissue re-structuring occur (e.g., fibrosis) that can further impair tissue function.

However, inflammation is more often associated with pain, injection and diseased states.

The inflammatory process inevitably causes tissue damage and is accompanied by simultaneous attempts at healing and repair.

The result can be more damage to the body than the agent itself would have produced.

In many of these cases, the problem is made worse by the formation of antibodies against self antigens or persistent antigens from smoldering infections.

Several of these therapies carry a severe risk of allowing infections to develop.

In fact, the more powerful the anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., glucocorticoids), the greater the risk of infection.

Additionally, increased mitosis in response to inflammation puts more cells at risk of mutations as they replicate their DNA during S phase.

Interfering with one or more of these signals or receptors disrupts the recruitment of inflammatory cells to the tissue.

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